Godzilla, aka the Nissan GT-R, is a perfect example of Nissan’s incremental, methodical, and relentless improvement over time.

At its best, Nissan brings imagination to the world of cars. In doing so, it fuses the thrill and romance of driving with the excitement of practical innovation.

The Z. The GT-R. The Maxima. All groundbreaking and beautiful, and most reachable to anyone with a dream of owning a finely made, fun-to-drive, and emotive automobile.

Founded in the early 1930s as Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., the company’s Yokohama, Japan, assembly plant opened its doors in 1935. Throughout its history, Nissan has developed and nurtured partnerships with other automotive companies, from early-history connections with the likes of the Austin Motor Company and the Prince Motor Company to the automaker’s modern alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi.

More so than anything, perhaps, it seems that Nissan has been driven by the creative vision of passionate leaders, from American engineer William R. Gorham to Yutaka “Mister K” Katayama, the father of the 510 and 240Z.

All told, it’s a lasting and living legacy, one 60 years in the making on U.S. shores. In that time, Nissan has created some of the world’s most iconic and drivable vehicles. So, let’s take a look back (and forward) at ten such great Nissans.

We chose them based on a few simple rules: the model had to be a best-seller, a trend-setting innovator, a design leader, or a performance superstar.

In other words, these Nissans made a difference.

1958 Datsun 1000

The 1000 was first Datsun to arrive on U.S. shores in 1958, and it set the tone for what was to come.

(Nissan)

Let’s start from the beginning, because if there’s one car that defined Nissan’s early approach to the U.S. market, it’s the Datsun 1000. The automaker didn’t slam the Pacific Coast with thousands of models, hoping to catch the eye of car buyers. Nor did they ignore market trends and preferences.

Nope.

Nissan took a slow and methodical approach. First they debuted the 1000 at the 1958 Los Angeles Imported Car Show. Then they tested the car, and listened when told to change things such as the “bullet” style turn signal indicators. That revised version of the 1958 Datsun 1000 would, according to Nissan, become the company’s first export to America and it found 146 buyers in the U.S.

The car itself was attractive and capable, with a new 37-horsepower engine based on an Austin design. And after two versions of the car finished a grueling Australian rally, the Datsun 1000 enjoyed a reputation for durability.

All told, the 1000 was a crucially important car for Nissan: the first to be sold in America, the first to win at racing, and the first exported Nissan to fuse practicality with sportiness.

1968 to 1974 Datsun 510

“The poor man’s BMW,” the Datsun 510 was a major hit for Nissan.

(Nissan)

If the Datsun 1000 put Nissan on the map for U.S. car buyers, the 510 burnished its reputation as a car manufacturer with sporting intent.

Heck, some folks would say the 510 was the true starting point. Either way, this vehicle was the lynchpin that Nissan needed to really gain a permanent foothold in the U.S. market. It did just that, thanks to an appealing combination of attractive and affordable performance and fun.

How much fun? Lots. The Datsun 510 was a poor man’s BMW, with a fully independent suspension and a sprightly 4-cylinder engine. It looked like a European car… and even drove like one… but didn’t cost as much.

It also didn’t have quite the same commitment to quality fit and finish, which helped to bruise the automaker’s reputation.

Today, it’s a sought-after collector piece, partly due to its iconic styling and packaging, and simply because there are very few left that aren’t rusted out or left for dead.

1970 to 1978 Datsun 240Z/260Z/280Z

The original Datsun Z was a landmark sports car.

(Nissan/Wieck)

The Datsun 240Z was the first car I ever truly coveted. Man, I still want one today. In fact, I would take any of the ‘70s Z cars. While I recognize that the 90’s-era 300ZX and the resurrected 350Z are also great cars, it’s that long nose, short deck, so-cool retro vibe that captures the perfect blend of design and performance.

The 240Z was especially delightful, with its 2.4-liter inline 6-cylinder engine and perfect proportions. What the heck? Why spend more?

It’s safe to say that Yutaka Katayama, known as “Mister K” and “Father of the Z,” shook up the car world when he brought it to the U.S. It almost instantly redefined the somewhat ragged quality reputation of Japanese cars, and did so at the bargain price of around $3,500.

1972 to 1979 Datsun “Little Hustler” Pickup (620 Bulletside)

The “Little Hustler” was a practical and iconic small pickup truck.

(Nissan/Wieck)

Simple, attractive styling. Clean lines. Capable engine. And oh yeah, a super cool nickname. What more could you possibly want from a pickup truck?

Fact is, the Datsun “Little Hustler” truck is on this list of greatest-ever Nissans for two reasons: it’s iconic as heck, and a superbly designed and packaged vehicle.

Just look at the rings on the grille, and the bulletside body. This truck is simplicity and organization, inside and out. And it just so happens to be a great little truck to use for the day-to-day, or even hauling hay bales.

Known as the 620, Nissan made them from 1972 – 1979; from 1975 on, the truck came with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that made 110 hp. That was the most powerful mill offered across the life of the vehicle.

And while that’s not much in terms of power, the truck weighed in at around 2,000 pounds, so the Little Hustler did indeed know how to hustle. Model year 1975 was also the year of Datsun’s long bed version – a notable innovation that featured Ed “Too Tall” Jones in their ads.

Not to be outdone, the 1977 model debuted Datsun’s extended cab version, as well as front disc brakes.

1989 to 1994 Nissan Maxima

In terms of affordable excellence, the 1989 Nissan Maxima is just about as good as it gets.

(Nissan)

Here, then, is the perfect car. That’s right – the 1989 Nissan Maxima. Sure, you can argue the point. And true, nothing is really ever perfect. But really, who would want to argue the point? The third-gen Maxima is an exercise in subtle creativity. A poem for car enthusiasts.

The entire third generation of the Maxima is special. It’s a gift, yet one that has been sadly wasted by Nissan over the subsequent years. Just imagine building a car like the 1989 Maxima, then slowly, inexorably, ruining it. That oughta be a crime.

Anyway. So sad. But back in the early ‘90s, the Maxima was as special as it gets. The original Four-Door Sports Car, or “4DSC,” as Nissan called it. The bad ass.

Retro, simple, and stylish, the base price for an ‘89 Maxima SE was under $20,000, and for that you got a 3.0-liter V6 engine that made 160 hp (up to 192 hp during the generation), and your choice of automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. Also standard was a “black-out” exterior, quality fit and finish, excellent sport performance, and a luxury-like interior.

Yep. Perfect. Or just about.

1990 to 1996 Nissan 300ZX

The Z came back with a vengeance in 1990.

(Nissan/Wieck)

The Nissan 300ZX is a moment of brilliance that lasted six years. As with the original Z, when this version debuted, many felt that it had reshaped the idea of sports cars from Japan.

Good thing, too. The Z-car had begun to resemble a sad and bloated riverboat version of the original, first in 1979 280ZX form, and then in 1984 300ZX guise.

By the time the second-generation 300ZX came around, the Z franchise was in desperate need of adrenaline and sex appeal. With the 1990 300ZX, it got both.

Vastly different from the first-gen version, the ‘90 300ZX defined a new standard of Z-car. There was the uniquely rounded and sleek design, and the 3.0-liter V6 with a twin-turbo option. With that power plant, the 300ZX generated 300hp – more than the Corvette’s V8 output at the time.

All that would be plenty enough to name it a greatest-ever Nissan. But the 300ZX also brought with it at least one innovation that would change all of vehicle design: it was among the first cars to be designed via computer.

1991 to 1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R

The 1991 – 1994 Sentra SE-R was a moment of sheer affordable brilliance.

(Nissan)

Take a basic commuter car. A compact. You know the type. A boring old Sentra will do, the kind of bread-and-butter car no one ever notices.

Now bolt in a superb 4-cylinder engine, one that gets 140 hp, and add a viscous limited-slip differential. Add a few more things, like rear disc brakes and a 5-speed manual gearbox. And some bells and whistles, too – you’ve got to have your bells and whistles, even on a Sentra.

What you get is the sleeper car of all sleeper cars: the 1991 to 1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R.

Lightweight with superb handing, this performance compact may not have been the most powerful, but it sure was the most fun for around $14,000.

My word. There really is no better example of an automaker using creative means to build a fantastically fun yet affordable car. Furthermore, it was practical, it was reliable, and it was simple. Sadly, it was also available for a limited time – and in limited numbers.

Soon enough, Nissan went back to building Boring Sentra, and didn’t even put out an SE-R with the next change in 1995. When the company did bring it back in 2002, it was more powerful but fatter and not nearly as much fun. Then, in 2007, things got even worse when Nissan rolled out a base Sentra SE-R with a continuously-variable transmission (CVT).

Nissan had forgotten that the car was never about power – it was all about performance.

Man. What a great car, and what a great shame it only lasted one generation.

1999 to 2002 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R

Go, go Godzilla! Nissan didn’t sell it in the U.S., but that didn’t stop the legend from spreading.

(Nissan)

Though it was never sold in the U.S., this remarkable sports car demands inclusion among automotive legends.

The fifth-generation Skyline GT-R is so notable, so brutishly and beautifully in-your-face, that it’s hard to imagine a greatest-ever supercar conversation without it. It would just be silly. And for this reason, it became an icon in a place where no one could even drive it.

Of course, there’s the influence of the “Gran Turismo” video game franchise, The Fast and the Furious movies, and more. So, one could say that a generation of American enthusiasts did indeed grow up driving the Skyline GT-R, in ways no constabulary would ever allow.

But still. Godzilla in reality was as glorious as it was in fantasy. Take, for example, the “280-hp” rating. The same 2.6-liter twin-turbo engine from the R33, it was placed in a shorter, stiffer, lighter, and more refined vehicle chassis. Who needs fantasy when that’s the reality?

This was an iterative process, one that started with the R32, continued to the R33, and culminated in the R34 and an automotive masterpiece for the ages.

2009 to Present Nissan GT-R

Finally, American fans get their own GT-R. And it’s arguably better than ever.

(Nissan)

This one is ours. And that’s just fine, because it’s superb, modern, and everything a person could hope for from a supercar named “Godzilla.”

What’s more, it’s a monster that has grown up since its original debut in 2009, from an initial 480 hp to 565 hp in the 2018 model (600 with the Nismo version). Yes, it’s too heavy. And yes, the GT-R is much too expensive for the commoner – a violation, perhaps, of a historic Nissan ethos.

It’s also no longer called the Skyline GT-R, nor is it based on that car’s lineage. That makes one wonder if you can truly call this magnificent vehicle the “R35” version, and claim that it follows the notable Skyline R34 GT-R.

I suppose it does in terms of motoring intent, design, and emotion.

But here’s a question: Must it? Without the GT-R heritage, this vehicle would enjoy somewhat less poetry around the nameplate.

But even if it were simply named “Grunt,” this is one car that would make the greatest-ever list for any automaker – even Nissan – because it is simply an amazingly powerful and innovative vehicle.

2010 to 2017 Nissan Leaf

In its own way, the Nissan Leaf encapsulates the story of Nissan innovation and imagination.

(Nissan)

So, the car company that makes Godzilla also manufactures an EV named Leaf.

How truly extraordinary – and so very Nissan.

It serves as a reminder that after 60 years, Nissan is still about methodical innovation that strives to apply technology that improves the usefulness and performance of vehicles.

Debuted in 2010 as a 2011 model, the Leaf has been no different. It stands alone as the first-ever mass-market EV, and the best-selling electric car ever, with more than 300,000 vehicles sold.

That first generation answered the questions that a world of car buyers were asking about the pros and cons of electric mobility, including the most important of all: is it a viable choice for my daily lifestyle?

Nissan, with the Leaf, answered that question with a resounding yes.

Indeed, from 2011 – 2017, the Leaf has been a tangible and saleable example of Nissan’s drive for innovation. They were first to the fray with an EV that worked, and it worked well – for 2011. With a range of about 100 miles, and 50-kW fast-charging.

That was landmark at the time, and the Leaf helped set into motion a gentle keel turn toward change in the industry. What started with the Leaf just a few years ago has now grown to a groundswell of adoption.

Today, virtually all automakers around the world are expected to have EVs for sale by 2022. Time, and Nissan, will determine if the Leaf stays ahead of the pack, or if it fades into the background.